New Delhi: The grand old party on Tuesday rejected reports of a division in the Congress Working Committee (CWC) over a resolution passed in support of the Palestinian cause on Monday. “There is no division in the Congress. Everyone in the party is on the same page. These are rumors by those who are playing politics over the CWC resolution. It is very sad. We are all pained at the turn of events in Israel. We want Indians to be safe there and want their safe return. That is what the government should be doing,” CWC member Gourav Gogoi told this channel.
The resolution read: “The CWC expresses its dismay and anguish on the war that has broken out in the Middle East where over a thousand people have been killed in the last two days. The CWC reiterates its long-standing support for the rights of the Palestinian people to land, self-government and to live with dignity and respect. The CWC calls for an immediate ceasefire and for negotiations to begin on all outstanding issues, including the imperative issues that have given rise to the present conflict.”
The CWC resolution invited sharp reactions from BJP leaders like Pralhad Joshi, Kailash Vijayvargiya and Tejasvi Surya and they slammed the Congress for allegedly supporting the “terrorists”. “Kailash Vijayvargiya should read the statement of former Prime Minister AB Vajpayee. Since Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo yatra, they have been so perturbed with the Congress that they have forgotten their leaders,” said Gogoi, recalling the ex-PM’s support to Palestine. “To Pralhad Joshi, I can only say that may god give them better sense,” he said, adding, “The BJP has a set stand irrespective of what the Congress says.”
Also read: Congress reiterates support for the rights of Palestinian people
Reacting strongly to the remarks from Tejasvi Surya’s statement that the “CWC resolution on Israel war is a classic example of how Indian foreign policy was hostage to Congress’ minority vote bank politics until Modi happened. Also, a reminder on how quickly things will go back to zero if we aren’t vigilant in 2024” — Karnataka Congress spokesperson Lavanya Ballal Jain hit back saying the BJP MP had a “short-term memory loss.”
Lavanya cited a statement issued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi dated November 2, 2022, in which he backed the Palestinian people and their cause. “On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people, I reiterate India’s unwavering support to the Palestinian cause. India’s ties with the friendly people of Palestine are rooted in our common history. We have always supported the Palestinian people in their pursuit of economic and social development with dignity and self-reliance,” said the PM’s statement.
CWC member Gourav Gogoi further pointed out that Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh already clarified the party’s stand on Hamas’ fresh attacks on Israel. In his statement issued on October 8, Ramesh said that the “Congress condemned the brutal attacks on the people of Israel and noted that the Congress always believed that the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a life of self-respect, equality and dignity must be fulfilled only through a process of dialogue and negotiations while ensuring the legitimate national security concerns of the Israeli people.”
